The woman saint Dayabai of the 18th century was a disciple of:

Dayabai was an 18th-century woman saint and poet of the Bhakti tradition, who was a disciple of Saint Charandas.

About Dayabai:

• She lived in the 18th century, in the region of Mewat (Rajasthan) and Delhi.
• She belonged to the same family (or community) as Saint Charandas, and was his close disciple.
• She wrote devotional poetry in Braj Bhasha (a dialect of Hindi), expressing her love for God and her devotion to her guru.
• Her main work is "Daya Bodh", a collection of verses (dohas and other forms) on devotion, the importance of the guru, detachment, and the remembrance of God's name.
• Another woman disciple of Charandas, Sahajobai, was also a famous poet; her work is "Sahaj Prakash".

About Saint Charandas:

• He was born in 1703 at Dehra, in the Alwar region of Rajasthan, and died in 1782 in Delhi.
• He founded the "Charandasi" sect, which spread in Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.
• He was influenced by the teachings of Kabir and other Nirguna saints, and also by Krishna devotion (Saguna bhakti).
• He taught devotion to God, meditation, the remembrance of God's name, good conduct and the importance of the guru.
• The main centre of the Charandasi sect is in Delhi (near Chandni Chowk).

Women in the Bhakti movement:

• Many women became saints and poets in the Bhakti movement, challenging social restrictions.
• Famous women saints include Andal and Karaikkal Ammaiyar (Tamil Nadu), Akka Mahadevi (Karnataka), Lal Ded (Kashmir), Janabai and Muktabai (Maharashtra), Mirabai (Rajasthan), and Dayabai and Sahajobai.

Other Nirguna saints of north India:

Kabir, Raidas (Ravidas), Dadu Dayal (founder of the Dadupanthi sect, Rajasthan), Sundardas, and Guru Nanak.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Kabir, Dadu Dayal and Raidas were earlier saints of north India.